Beloved
by Daemonchan
Summary: Wufei is a Beloved hunted by Treize for extraordinary powers. Can Duo and Heero save him in time?
1. Chapter One

Beloved

A Gundam Wing Alterverse

by Daemonchan

Enter the world of the Beloved, a breed of Man with the physiological features of both men and women. Gifted with extraordinary powers, they are revered by normal humans, and given only the best considerations. However, there are always those who would use them for their own evil gains...

Dramatis Personae:

Chang Wufei - Beloved of the Dragon Clan; mated to Meiran "Nataku" Chang

Chang Meiran - Second Beloved of the Dragon Clan and mated to Wufei

Quatre Winner - Child of Beloveds, his is the gift of farseeing

Trowa Barton - Human lover of Quatre

Duo Maxwell - Self proclaimed Shinigami and protector of Beloveds

Heero Yuy - Killer of the Word; life debted to Duo

Treize Kushrenada - General who seeks out Wufei for his powers

Zechs - slightly insane Beloved who becomes Treize's Seer and lover

::Warnings:: Shounen ai, implied rape, and graphic descriptions

This is a completely alternate universe from Gundam Wing and as such, I beg pardon for the out of character-ness that often finds its way in my words. Please enjoy the world I have taken such pains to create...

*~*~*~*~

The figure paused as he entered the Seer's tent, fighting back the urge to cough in the thick clouds of incense that filled the space, creeping along the floor like mist. He walked carefully through the haze, squinting in the near darkness. Thick, dark silks had been hung from the canvas walls, giving the impression of a maze within the small area. Scented candles lit the way, their flames an eerie green.

_Magic, _the man thought with a shudder. The Seer was one of the most powerful to be born in the last century and the man had taken it upon himself to make sure that he was on his side.

"Treize Kushrenada."

The voice drifted like a living thing through the smoke, crawling across Treize's skin with an unwholesome feeling.

Treize stopped walking, sure that the Seer could not be found unless he wished to be. "Zechs."

At his name, the pale Seer stepped directly in front of Treize, a terrible smile on his lips. A thick robe was draped lazily across his shoulders, exposing a pale, well muscled chest and slim hips covered with silk pants. Blind white eyes peered from beneath cascades of platinum hair, staring straight into Treize's own surprised eyes.

The boy had been blind since birth, his body perfected for the inner world of a seer rather than the outer world. Still, he did not need any assistance in getting around. he moved and acted just as if he were a sighted person...and that terrified Treize on a level he refused to face.

"Seek your answers..."

Treize smiled. "You already know my question. Have you found the boy?"

Again, the malicious smile. "Aa. I have found him. He is Beloved of the Dragon Clan." The robe slipped from his shoulder suggestively. "You don't need him," he said in a seductive whisper, lithe body moving towards Treize with erotic grace. Treize felt himself respond immediately, but steeled himself against the boy's advances.

"His name."

Zechs hissed in anger, his blind eyes closing in frustration. "Chang Wufei." His voice became venomous. "He will bear you a powerful son."

Treize seized the boy in a crushing grip, giving into his growing lust. "That's what I wanted to know." He caught the other's lips in a bruising kiss, driven by the eager response the Seer gave. Zechs moaned and leaned into the invasion of his mouth. He drew back almost painfully, sightless eyes looking up at Treize in confusion.

"What of Chang?"

Treize slipped the robe off his shoulder, biting the pale flesh he found beneath. "Tomorrow, Seer." He bit again, hard enough to leave a mark on his Seer. Zechs panted and moaned as his body shuddered with the pain. The older man smiled, a chilling mate to Zechs' own. "Tomorrow I will bring the child to his destiny. For now..."

They fell to the floor, tangled in each other's limbs. Their lust drove them until dawn, and even then Kushrenada still thought of his future...his destiny.

_Chang Wufei._

* * *

"Wufei! Wufei, where are you?"

Wufei sighed in frustration, snapping his book closed with a growl. His mate's voice carried throughout the square; if he didn't answer, the entire village would be out in force looking for him.

"Meiran! For Beloved's Sake, would you keep it down?"

The young girl looked up in surprise to see her mate standing on a high tree limb, familiar book in hand. The tree rested at the center of the village and Wufei had found solace in its branches since he was a child. His mate knew he could be found here if nowhere else. His white robe was open to the waist, and Meiran nearly blushed at the sight of his bronze chest. His silky black hair was trapped in a severe ponytail at the nape of his neck, making his face appear older. Wufei was stunningly beautiful despite all he did to hide it.

Chang Wufei was special, even among the Beloved. A rare breed, Beloved were revered by their villages for their unique physiology: they possessed the traits of both men and women; able to bear children as well as create them in other Beloved. The children of Beloved were most often Human, but they always had wondrous powers, such as healing or farseeing.

Wufei was the child of Beloved and a Man. Not forbidden, but not common either. He had an unnatural intelligence, as well as an empathic connection with nature. He would spend hours on end wandering the forests, lost in is commune with trees and the animals who made them their homes.

Meiran was often jealous of her mate's abilities. Both her parents were Human, and it was just a twist of Fate that had made her Beloved. She had been sent to the Dragon Clan when she was ten to train with their Beloved, Wufei. They studies martial arts together, Wufei becoming stronger and more graceful by the day, leaving Meiran to feel inadequate next to him.

It had been a mixed surprise for Meiran when they were told they would be mated at twelve. Wufei had been shocked and horrified. His studies had always come first, and he felt that Meiran acted too much like a man to be a proper mate for him. He often told her that she shamed him with her ways, marching about the countryside doing battle with cutthroats and thieves, claiming to be the God of Justice, Nataku.

Instead of shaming her, his words made her work harder to prove what she felt in her soul: that she was born to be Nataku's instrument of Justice on this plane.

"It is nearing..."

_I know what time it is, onna!_ Wufei thought unkindly as he climbed carefully from his perch within the limbs of the towering oak. He had spent the entire day just staring at his book, trying to ignore the strange urges that rushed through his body.

Meiran stopped talking as she watched the boy navigate his way easily to the ground. It was futile anyway. Wufei ignored her almost every time she opened her mouth, his superior attitude convinced that she had nothing of worth to say.

His lip curled in a near-sneer as he walked towards his mate, but forced the expression to melt into an apologetic smile. "Forgive me, mate. I grow moody as the time approaches."

Meiran didn't buy a word of his sugared apology, but let it slide. Wufei had become worse in the past week, his temper nearly non-existent. He snapped frequently at every one, whether he meant to or not. She forgave him for now.

Within hours, the boy would become almost unmanageable as hormones raced through his body and left him weak with the need to mate for the next three days. He and Meiran would be secluded away for that time, in order for them to use that time to try and conceive a child.

Again, Meiran felt a stir of jealousy. Since Wufei was older, he had reached his cycle, his Throe, before her. He would bear their first child. A child that would probably share Wufei's power.

If Wufei had his choice, he would gladly allow Meiran to have all the children. If it hadn't been his obligation to provide more Beloved, he wouldn't have any part of the nonsense.

He stumbled as a rush of heat flowed through his body, nearly bringing him to his knees in its intensity. Meiran was at his side in an instant, gentle hands rubbing his back in comforting circles. She had been training for the past few weeks on how to handle him when the Throe hit full force.

Wufei felt himself responding to her touch, the terrible wave leaving his body trembling in her strong arms. Wufei was suddenly very aware of Meiran, seeing her with new eyes borne of the hormones in his cycle.

"Meiran..."

She hushed him quickly, understanding the changes he was going through. Emotions had been obstacles to be overcome in Wufei's world; now they would overwhelm him. If Meiran let him admit what she knew in her heart, Wufei would hate himself for the rest of his life for giving in to his weakness.

"Be strong, love. Things will be better soon."

Leaning heavily together, Meiran managed to get Wufei to their house, laying the flushed boy on the bed, made with white linens for the special occasion. There was a quiet knock on the doorframe.

"Meiran-sama..."

Meiran smiled gently at her serving lady. "Get the village elders. Wufei is ready."

The servant rushed from the room, smiling with delight. This would be the first time she would be witness to a Beloved coupling, an unparalleled honor.

Meiran turned back to her mate as he moaned. His dark skin shone with perspiration, hot as natural lust raged within his body.

"Please, Meiran...I need you..."

The words told Meiran he was ready. She took his hand first, careful not to startle him with her touch. Wufei would lose himself in pleasure until the cycle passed...one had to be very gentle and patient with a Beloved amidst the Throe.

She brought his palm to her face, breathing deeply. Pheromones surged through her body, triggering her own response. She slowly crawled on the bed next to Wufei, pulling away his robe and pants. She controlled her breathing throughout the procedure, inhaling the thick scent that filled the small room. Soon she was as aroused as the boy writhing on the bed.

She kissed him then, letting go of her resolve to take it slowly. She had waited two years to share Wufei this way, as a lover, something he would not allow otherwise. For now she could pretend that her mate loved her as much as she loved him.

* * *

Treize sighed into the morning air, hands absently running along the neck of the horse beneath him. He was wrapped in a thick cloak, hood pulled to covered his honey haired head. Zechs sat patiently on a horse next to him, white eyes staring down into the village that sprawled out in the valley before him.

"What do you see, Zechs?"

The Seer pointed down into the valley. " I see the one you seek, in the midst of his Throe. We have come in time."

Treize smiled cruelly. Soon, the Beloved would be his to claim...to give him a son. He raised his arm, summoning his soldiers forward. Chain mail shone in the early dawn, swords drawn and ready for battle.

"Kill them all."

* * *

Meiran crawled from the comfort of her dreams to the muffled sound of screaming. Her lady servant was shouting something at her, pulling on her arm. She woke instantly when she felt the hilt of her blade placed in her hand.

"What is it?" She scrambled for clothing, settling for her mate's pants and her own tunic. Wufei stirred at the commotion, momentarily free from the Throe in his exhaustion. Meiran's own body ached pleasantly. She hadn't know such pleasure existed until last night.

"Mei-chan..."

Meiran smiled at the tired whisper. She leaned over to him, kissing his swollen lips. His black hair had come undone during their activities and clung seductively to his cheeks. He was still scented with pheromones and they threatened her control. "No worries, koibito. Stay here."

Meiran followed her lady servant out to the front of the house, peering out the windows in the front room. Her body went cold as she saw people being dragged from their houses and brands being thrown on the thatched roofs. Her clan was murdered on their doorsteps as their houses burned to the ground.

She was ready to throw open the door when she heard the floorboards creak behind her. She dropped the silver blade to her side, rushing to her mate's side. He had managed to pull on an extra set of practice pants, still shirtless. "Hide!" she hissed.

Something in her voice brought Wufei from his haze. His dark eyes cleared and he looked to where the lady servant stood by the door, ready to defend her masters. "Bring my blade."

"No!" Meiran shouted as the woman bolted across the front room to the training room that was kept just off of it. "Wufei! You're in no condition..."

"Onna..." her mate said warningly. "We will face this together."

Meiran bristled at his insult, stepping back the window as Wufei recovered his blade from the servant's hands. Soldiers swept through the houses on either side of their own, their blades glistening with the blood of men, women, and children alike. She gasped as she realized what was happening.

"They're here for us! They've killed everyone else..."

She was determined that they would not find her an easy target. She was the Spirit of Justice; she would not stand idly by and let her village be murdered.

Her hand reached for the doorknob and was covered by Wufei's dark hand. She looked into his ebony eyes, watching him fight valiantly against the Throe that still raged through his body. Unfamiliar concern shone there as well and he nodded once before opening the door.

They ran out into the packed dirt of the street, screaming in challenge. Soldiers shied away from the figure they were told not to touch, but focuses in Meiran. Her blade flashed in the dawn light, cutting down soldiers with ease. Wufei's moves matched her own, emboldened by the knowledge that these men would not touch him.

Try as he might, Wufei found it hard to focus on the battle around him. He cut through the soldiers that threatened to overwhelm Meiran, barely registering her cry of "Justice!" as she screamed in rage. His body wanted nothing more than to give into the pleasure that raged through it, a feeling that was intensified by Meiran's close proximity. He pulled back just in time to save his head from being removed from his shoulders, killing the shocked soldier who had almost done the deed with a quick thrust to the abdomen.

"Hold!"

The soldiers parted quickly, leaving Wufei and Meiran back to back, covered in dust and blood. Wufei fell to his knees, losing his fight against the Throe. Meiran did not move beyond placing a comforting hand on his head.

Her dark gaze promised death to the hooded figure mounted before her. He drew back the cloak slowly, face revealed in the rapidly brightening morn.

"Kushrenada."

The ginger haired soldier smiled, cold and malicious. "You know of me, Chang Meiran."

Meiran hid her surprise. History was full of people who had taken Beloved for their own evil ends. She would not let that happen to herself or Wufei, even if it meant her life.

Treize leaned forward on the pommel of his saddle. "Your village is gone. I have seen that everyone was killed. What have you to say to that?"

"Bastard," came her hate filled hiss. "What do you want?"

"Wufei."

Somewhere, deep inside herself, Meiran had known. Wufei's powers would be attractive to a man like Treize, and the possibility of offspring...

With deliberate slowness, she knelt next to her mate, bringing her katana up to his throat. His back rested on her chest and his head fell on her shoulder. She could see the understanding in his black eyes, and the tears that were mirrored in her own. Her hand moved...

"No!"

Wufei felt Meiran shuddered, her eyes wide in shock. A thin line of blood trickled from her mouth and she blinked slowly. "Wufei?"

As if in slow motion, Meiran fell backwards, stirring a cloud of dust as she landed on the hard ground. Wufei found a hidden reserve of strength, turning quickly and gathering her too still form in his arms. He cradled her as she fought to breathe, hands smoothing her black hair away from her face.

"Shh...Meiran..."

"Wu...Ai shi..."

Wufei felt his mate's spirit as it slipped from her body, leaving nothing but a shell in his arms. A scream tore from his throat as her eyes closed, his own soul torn at her passing. Tears burned in his eyes as he lowered her to the ground, his grief quickly becoming dangerous anger. Slowly, purposefully, he picked up the katana from her limp hand and smiled at the soldier before him.

"In death..." The blade came up to his throat, razor's edge nicking the olive skin. "United." His eyes closed and his hand drew back...

"I don't think so, Beloved..."

The blade disappeared. Wufei opened his eyes to find himself staring into depthless white ones, Meiran's katana balanced in the blonde's strong hand. The blade flashed as Zechs placed it in the empty scabbard on his back.

_As if he knew he would need it..._

"Seer."

Quicker than thought, Zechs brought himself close enough to Wufei so that their noses were nearly touching. Wufei did not flinch, even when he saw the evil behind the seer's eyes.

Zechs laughed hollowly. "Sleep, Wufei. You'll meet your fate soon enough."

Wufei couldn't fight the magic behind the command, eyes slipping closed almost immediately. Zechs caught the boy before he fell, lifting him as if he were weightless. He remounted his horse and took off into the night, captive laid across his saddle.

Treize watched the Seer leave with his chosen Beloved, smiling at imagined delights. He turned back to the dead body of Meiran Chang.

_What a waste..._ "Make sure nothing remains. Burn the bodies with their houses. All..." he paused and pointed to the body before him. "Except her."

He wheeled his horse sharply, leaving the death of the Dragon clan in his wake. 


	2. Chapter Two

Quatre screamed in terror as he woke from his vision, sweat streaming from his body. "NO!"

The door surged open as Trowa nearly tore it from its hinges in his concern for the Seer. Quatre still sat cross-legged in front of the makeshift shrine, swirls of smoke about his body. The sticks of incense had burned to nothing but ashes, their scent making the tall boy nauseous. Quatre's head had fallen to his chest and Trowa could see tears glistening on his cheeks.

"Quatre?"

The blonde boy looked up at the soft voice, sniffling slightly. He smiled gently, rising from the floor with unconscious grace. His green tunic clung to him wetly, and even his leather breeches showed signs of dampness. His vision quest had taken him longer than anticipated...and shown him more than he was prepared to see.

"I am disturbed, Trowa. I was shown..." His voice caught for a moment as he relived the scenes that had played before him. The village burning, the Beloved girl dying in her mate's arms, the only survivor dragged away to a Fate worse than death...

"I was shown the destruction of the Dragon Clan. The entire village was destroyed. Only one remains."

Trowa's head hung in sympathy. It was hard on the Seer, an empath of incredible strength who could feel the emotions of the people around him and those his unexpected visions brought to him. An entire Clan...killed...

"We must save him."

The Seer swept past Trowa with determination, pale blue eyes flashing with anger. The taller boy did not fight, knowing that nothing could sway his lover when he got this way. Quatre was not quick to anger; it was his soothing personality that had kept him and his companions together for so long.

"But Quatre..."

Quatre was already at his destination a short distance down the hallway, slim hand pounding on the door before him. A muffled shout came from within and a disheveled boy opened the door a crack, peering out with sleep hazed violet eyes.

"Whaddya want?"

"I need you."

The door opened further, revealing the half naked youth. His hair was pulled into a messy braid that fell over one shoulder, a sheet clutched about his waist. "Aww, Quatre. I'm flattered, really. But what about..."

Quatre's hand silenced the clever retort. Duo lost his smile and came fully into the hall. "What is it?"

"A Beloved has been murdered. And one taken."

Trowa repressed a shudder at the look of utter rage that stole across Duo's face. The thin boy had been raised by Beloved parents who were murdered when they refused to mate with any others. He had been forced to live on the streets, naming himself Shinigami, an old God of Death. He protected all Beloveds with a passion that bordered on fanatical, and had even rescued a Beloved that had been with him ever since.

"Where?"

Quatre sighed, suddenly sorry that his friend had to be let in on such terrible knowledge. He knew that Duo's cause had been particularly sensitive ever since he had rescued Heero, an abused Beloved who had been forced to become a Killer of the Word, the world's most dangerous assassin.

"Dragon Clan. A day's ride south."

Duo went back into his room, door slightly ajar. When he reemerged moments later, he was dressed in a black tunic and breeches, travel cloak thrown over his arm. A cloaked shadow stood at his back.

"Heero," Quatre acknowledged the shadow, smiling grimly as the other boy followed Duo from the room they shared. Heero was a slim youth, his Beloved abilities giving him impossible strength and agility. Cold blue eyes stared from beneath an unruly shock of dark brown hair, taking in his surroundings with calculated efficiency. His face could have been handsome if not for the mask of burgundy leather that covered his mouth and part of his nose.

Quatre had originally believed it a cover for a hideous scar that the youth didn't want seen. Duo had corrected him later, after detailing his rescue of the strange assassin. The Beloved boy's powers had been subverted, making him a Killer of the Word, able to destroy or kill by just speaking. The mask was an enchantment that allowed him to speak without his power coming to bear.

Heero was without a doubt the most dangerous individual in the world...and he seemed content to follow Duo around, a silent shadow at his back. The violet eyed boy had explained it as something akin to a life debt. He was bound to Duo until death.

The blonde caught Duo's arm before he left. "Take him to Sanctuary. We will meet you there."

He watched the chestnut haired youth leave with a nod, his Beloved following without a sound. Quatre stared after them until even their shadows had gone from the wall, his heart heavy with worry. He turned to his lover and claimed his hand. "Come, Trowa. I must seek another vision...perhaps one that will help us repair that damage that has been done."

* * *

Wufei found himself drowning in comfort when he awoke, his body sunk into a soft mattress and covered with fine, thick blankets. He raised only his head at first, taking in his surroundings. The huge bed was the only feature in the light colored tent, unlit braziers guarded the draped doorway.

He moved slowly, still feeling the influence of Zechs' sleeping spell. He found that he was completely naked, a realization that somehow didn't shock him. His body tingled, an indication that he was still in Throe, though the light from outside the tent showed him that another day had been lost since his capture...and the destruction of his people.

He bit back the cry the threatened on his lips. With calming breath, he pushed back the overwhelming despair...the vision of Meiran's sightless eyes as her spirit touched him on its journey to the other side...

A stir at the entrance called his attention. Treize stood there, bare to the waist, golden hair wet and dripping. Wufei's gaze tuned stone as he beheld the soldier standing there. He had no illusions as to why he'd been taken; he had only wait...either to fight back with all his strength or to discover a way to kill himself before his fate was sealed.

He hissed as he saw the Seer step from behind the tall soldier, platinum hair tinted with the first beginnings of the sunset outside. Blind white eyes studied him as if he were nothing more than an animal, to be beaten or loved.

"Dragon."

Wufei fought to control the fury that surged through his body as the name of his clan rolled from Treize's murdering tongue. "Say that again and I will kill you, murderer."

"Feisty."

Zechs stepped forward as Wufei struggled to rise from the bed. His sleeping spell would be slow in wearing off; the Beloved would be helpless for a while. Still, he knew Wufei would be more than capable when it came to killing his captors. Zechs had admired the boy's skills as a martial artist as he fought off the invaders who were destroying his home.

With terrifying grace, Zechs wrapped his arms around Treize's waist and began to massage the muscled abdomen. His hands left the skin slick and shiny and a heady odor began to fill the room.

The Seer laughed as he watch realization dawn in their captive Beloved's eyes. "Oh, yes. You can feel yourself reacting already...it will be as if he were your own mate. My pheromones will see to that."

Wufei was too weak to do anything more than shake his head helplessly. Zechs' scent reached him and the Throe returned with a vengeance, sweeping him from any semblance of coherent thought. He tried to focus his thoughts with memories of Meiran, but even they were weak compared to the call of his own body.

"Meiran..." he whispered as Treize sat next to him, strong body sinking the bed further until Wufei felt trapped by the mattress, walls of white linen. Somehow Treize had become completely naked, his body still glistening with Zechs' oil. The boy was lost as the soldier bent to kiss him.

With a mock salute, the white eyed Seer left the two alone, knowing with sick satisfaction that even lost in the Throe, Wufei would still fight Treize to the bitter end.

And Treize wanted it that way.

Zechs stood staring at the rising moon, soft material of the tent behind him moving gently with the evening breezes. He smiled cruelly, body tensed in anticipation. With a moan of pleasure, his muscular frame shuddered as the shrill scream of Chang Wufei tore through the darkness. 


	3. Chapter Three

No! You can't! It's far too dangerous!"

Quatre ignored the protests of his lover, knowing full well that what he was doing was beyond dangerous; it was likely that he wouldn't survive the attempt. He fixed Trowa with sad blue eyes. "I have to. There is no one else."

Trowa stopped as he realized that he had no words to convince the slight boy to abandon his plan. He also knew that Quatre had manipulated him, saying just the right words to make Trowa give up his protests.

_Quatre must. There was no one else._

Instead, Trowa bend his energy to help his lover prepare, clearing the altar of old incense and replacing the holders with fresh sticks. Their odor would help Quatre reach his trance state quicker, something that would take hours that they didn't have otherwise.

The slight Beloved would be traveling beyond an ordinary trance though. He was reaching for full separation of his soul, to send it searching in the astral abyss for the Beloved they were seeking. Quatre's initial vision had revealed the purpose behind the kidnapping of Chang Wufei and the annihilation of the Dragon Clan.

_He will bear you a son..._

If he could reach Wufei, guide him to Duo and Heero, it would save them precious time.

Quatre sat comfortably before the altar, legs crossed loosely. He breathed deeply, inhaling as much of the acrid smoke as he could. The strange smell relaxed his mind and body almost immediately, his suddenly limp form falling into Trowa's waiting arms.

A sense of peace filled Quatre's mind and he knew separation had been complete. The feeling was the dangerous part of the separation.If he gave in, he would pass through to the spirit world, and never come back. He looked down on his lover, who looked up smiling sadly, even though he could not see Quatre's apparition. Only Beloveds held that power.

"Come back to me, koibito," the brown haired boy whispered and Quatre nodded, turning his focus on the face that had been burned into his memory by his terrifying vision.

_Wufei..._

There was a slight sensation of movement and the space around the spirit blurred for a moment. His powers drew him to Wufei, hunting out their connection as Beloveds. Suddenly, the area came back into focus with stunning clarity.

It was a one room tent with a huge bed in the center. Draperies obscured whatever was resting on the mattress but Quatre did not hesitate to phase through the material.

Wufei lay in a tangled heap on the far side of the bed, his body curled into a fetal position. Quatre felt his heart break as he took in the bruises that were blossoming on the olive skin, feeling that everything that had happened to the unfortunate boy was his fault.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" came the surprising reply.

Quatre moved to Wufei's side of the bed, staring into a pair of hard onyx eyes. "You knew..."

"I'm particularly sensitive to such things, yes. Are you here to take my life?"

The blonde bit back a cry of despair. He could sense the Beloved's pain as if it were his own, a sharp stabbing in his heart. Wufei had given up; he thought Quatre was a spirit come to guide him to the other side. "No. My name is Quatre Winner. I am here to guide you to Sanctuary."

The dark haired boy lost interest in what Quatre was saying. Wufei stared down at the floor, no longer willing to meet the apparition's gaze. The blond realized it was because the other Beloved was in shock, withdrawing from the real world so that he would not have to face what had happened to him.

"Please, Wufei. I have companions on their way to help you. You must get to them."

"Nataku..." Wufei's eyes squeezed shut as if in sudden pain and Quatre felt a wave of grief and despair pass through him. Now that the Beloved was free of the Throe, his memories had returned in terrible force. His iron resolve on his emotions began to erode as he was overwhelmed with regret for Meiran and her death.

"Let me take your pain..." Quatre didn't give Wufei a chance to answer as he touched an immaterial hand to the other's forehead. Harsh memories filled the blonde's mind, hard truths that Wufei had to accept. He had been unkind to his mate for many years...and she had been devoted to him and her ideal of justice until the end.

Wufei sighed as Quatre's touch allowed him to bring his raging emotions back under control. There would be a time for grief later...for now he had to live.

With great effort, Wufei pulled himself from the bed, swallowing his cry of pain as the bruises on his back and arms made themselves known. Quatre gasped in horror as he realized that the other boy's chest was a patchwork of tiny slices, each one shiny with a medicated salve to prevent infection.

The dark haired Beloved did not meet the faded blue eyes of the ghost before him. Instead he busied himself by pulling the linens from the bed. There was a metallic clang as a slim katana fell to the floor and Wufei raised it eye level.

"He cut me with my mate's own blade...the blade she tried to save me with."

Quatre opened his mouth to answer but was stopped by an insistent urge. He knew suddenly that his time had passed and he had to return to his body or be trapped in the half world forever.

"Wufei...head back to the Dragon Clan village. Duo and Heero...masked..."

Wufei turned to see Quatre fading away, his spirit returning to where it had come from. The dark haired boy didn't waste another moment, using Meiran's sword to cut the sheets into some semblance of clothing. He cut a slit in the back of the tent, sure that Treize would expect him to still be sleeping, weak from the bloodletting. Then again, if Quatre hadn't drawn him back from the brink...

His anger flared as he fled the encampment, dashing through the forest south, not looking back. He would return for Treize's life...for justice.

* * *

Duo chatted aimlessly, gesturing towards his silent companion with slim hands. His horse seemed more annoyed with him than Heero, the one whom all the words were directed.

In the few years they'd been together, Duo had worked his hardest to draw the other boy into conversation. He found that he knew nothing of the other boy, and so talked about everything until they found something of interest.

Heero had shocked the hell out him the day he talked. Duo had begun to relate his past growing up at the orphanage with the Beloved pair, John and Helen Maxwell.

"The man who raised me was called Odin Lowe. He taught me to use my powers to kill."

Those words weren't the first startling revelation into Heero's twisted past. With a little more effort, he had drawn Heero's short life from him, from the time Odin had been killed at an assassination attempt to the time he was picked up by Dektor Jai and trained in the skills of the Word.

Now, Duo could get his opinion on most things he asked about, especially if it pertained to their current assignment. Heero was most talkative on missions, though he had yet to speak in front of either Quatre or Trowa.

Duo's stopped as Heero drew his horse up short, body stiffening in the saddle. "Heero, daijoubu ka?"

The assassin did not answer, spurring his horse into a frenzied gallop. The braided boy cursed and followed after, traveling cloak falling back onto his shoulders. They rode hard for the good part of an hour, slowing only when their mounts tired. It wasn't too long before the smoking remains of the Dragon Clan's village came into veil, the stench of burned flesh and wood wafting towards them.

Heero rode impassively through the destruction, taking in the twisted skeletons as if they were an every day thing. Duo found it hard to keep his stomach under control, bringing a corner of his cape up to cover his nose.

Nothing remained standing. The houses were nothing more than piles of ash strewn with blackened bones of the people who had once lived in them. Some of the fires had become so hot, they were still smoking slightly. The entire place was blanketed in the miasma of death and even Heero seemed more subdued than usual.

They soon came upon what had once been the center of the village. There, a makeshift pyre had been built, the fire new and the figure upon it almost whole. Whoever had set it hadn't been gone long.

Duo didn't have long to wonder as a streak of white spooked his horse, causing it to rear up in terror. The braided boy gave a startled cry as he fell, landing unceremoniously on his tailbone.

He opened his mouth to swear when he felt the cold steel of a blade pressing into his Adams apple.

"Who are you?" a voice hissed in his ear, low and menacing. "Were you sent to retrieve me?"

Duo did not move as a slim arm snaked around his chest, pulling him to his feet. The silver blade did not waver.

Heero stood silently before Duo and his faceless captor, body concealed within the voluminous fold of his cloak. His eyes glinted dangerously, focused on the one who held Duo in his grip.

Duo gulped carefully, recognizing the look in Heero's eyes. "You, uh, might want to release me..." he ventured, but was too late as Heero launched himself forward, a blur of green and red.

"Heero!"

Duo gasped as the blade was torn away from his throat and his body pushed forward. He turned quickly, jumping his way between the two combatants as the white form raised his blade to strike the angry assassin. Heero's hand came up to the edge of his mask, ready to tear away the thin barrier between life and death.

"Yamero!"

There was sudden stillness as Duo prepared to be cut down. He opened his eyes, laughing silently that he had closed them in the first place. The white figure was still poised to strike, but was now studying the duo curiously.

Surprisingly, it was Heero who spoke first. "Chang Wufei. Quatre Winner sent us to find you."

The blade dropped as relief replaced Wufei's earlier assumption that the two had been sent by Treize to drag him back. He would sooner die a warrior than allow that degradation to happen again. He strode purposefully past the surprised Duo, stopping only when the heat from the still burning pyre became too great to bear.

He flinched as he felt a hand on his shoulder. The long haired boy. He shrugged it off, not wanting his pity. Justice would be his. Justice for his clan, and for his poor mate...

Wufei dropped numbly to his knees, uncaring of the strong arms that caught him as he fell. He was only aware of the other's warmth for a moment and then all was black.

* * *

Duo didn't spare a moment as he lifted the unconscious Wufei. Heero took the form from his arms easily, allowing the other to mount. With careful skill, they situated Wufei on the saddle behind Duo, looping a length of rope about the sleeping Beloved's waist, tying him to the violet eyed boy in front of him.

Heero mounted his own horse and took the lead, understanding the urgency of getting Wufei as far from his village as possible...and closer to Sanctuary.

They stopped at sunset, Heero leading them to a well concealed clearing. With infinite care, the assassin gently took Wufei from Duo and placed him on his thick cloak on the ground, bending next to the youth to examine the bruised form.

"What's the verdict?"

Heero nodded curtly at Duo's attempt at humor as he checked the Beloved for wounds. Cutting away the dirty remains of Wufei's makeshift tunic, deft fingers swept along arms and chest, grunting at the white cuts that marred the olive skin of the boy's pecs and stomach. The hands paused briefly when they grazed the boy's abdomen.

"He is with child."

"Shit," Duo swore, kneeling next to the pale form. It would kill the boy to know that his rapist's seed had taken within his body...White hot rage flared through Duo's body. Anyone who would do this to a Beloved...no, to any other human being deserved death.

Death that would come at the hands of the Shinigami. 


End file.
